(Newser)
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A Republican congressman who defended his colleagues from the wrath of Rush Limbaugh apologized today to his "fellow conservatives" and said his anti-Rush statements were taken out of context, Politico reports. Georgia's Phil Gingrey said his comments "read much harsher than they were actually intended," and he took issue with a headline that characterized him as telling Limbaugh to "back off."

“I regret and apologize for the fact that my comments have offended and upset my fellow conservatives—that was not my intent,” said Gingrey, whose office was besieged with angry calls. Yesterday, he defended GOP leaders, saying it was easy to "throw bricks," after Limbaugh criticized them for losing touch with grass-roots conservatives. "I am one of you," he said in today's statement. "I see eye-to-eye with Rush Limbaugh."